Flying machine



June 21, 1932- T. A. DRING I FLYING MACHINE .FiledApril 5, 1951 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR mm 09: BY HATE; ,cf

ATTORNEKS June 21, 1932,.

T. A. BRING FLYING MAGHINE- Film April 3, 1931 Fig. 2.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented June 21, 1932 UNITED srA'rles PATENTOFFICE THOMAS AUG'ClST'US DRING, F POULNER', RINGWOOD, ENGLAND FLYINGMACHINE Application filed April 3, 1931, Serial 'No. 527,557, and inGreat Britain February 14, 1931.

The present invention deals with improvements 1n flying machlnes wherebysuch machlnes may be caused to rise or descend m a a vertical plane,sustained in the air, and also moved in a horlzontal plane.

compressed air, produced by non-feathering rotary propellers, theexpansive forces set up by said streams acting on the underside of thebody and/or other supporting surfaces of the machine, and producing aresultant acting a through the centre of gravity of the machine.

The apparatus described comprises a plurality of blades or vanesrotating about'a fixed axis with the outer edges of the blades or vanessweeping through a conical path.

According to the present invention each i set of non-feathering rotarypropeller blades or vanes sets up continuous multiple independentstreams of compressed a1r, each 111- dependent stream working 1nsynchronism with and opposing the appropriate independ- "ent streamproduced by the other set of rotary propeller blades or vanes.

The two propellers are attached to the shaft or shafts from which theyderive their motion in such a manner that they are at all times insynchronized working, and therefore the projected individual streamsfrom each propeller are always in synchronism and impact of the opposingstreams is ensured, except when such streamsmay be impinging directlyupon the sides or other parts of the body of the machine.

Each blade or vane of the propeller projects a separate stream ofcompressed air which retains its individuality until it meets theopposing synchronized stream from the other propeller, and on impact ofthe two streams or when such streams impinge directly upon the sides orother parts of the body, the kinetic energy or force thereof is whollyor in part desctroyed thereby producing an expansive force for liftingor sustaining the machine. l

The several streams of compressed air, whilst projected in straightlines from the vanes to the point of impact with opposing streams or thebody of themachine, partake of the circular movement of the propeller,travelling round in pairs and generating two hollow cones, with theirbases in continuous contact, save where such contact is interrupted bythe fuselage and fixed planes.

As the several pairs of rotating air streams sweep the under side, orsustaining surface of the machine, they deposit, or leave behind themmasses of compressedv air in a state of expansion, the action of whichagainst such surface lifts and sustains the machine.

The stream flows downwards and inwards from the front surface of thevane, round the inner or trailing edge, and thence downwards and towardsthe machine at an angle with the axis of rotation of some or degrees.The particles of air in the streams are believed to travel'in a straightline. I

Further according to the present invention the trailing edge of eachblade or vane or a local part thereof may be set back so as to increasethe circumference of the circular path described by such inner ortrailing edge or a local part thereof, and thus increase the velocity ofthe projected air streams passing over the edge, and consequently, theamount of compression in the stream itself. I

In the particular example hereinafter described and illustrated therotary propeller is of conoidal form having three vanes or bladessecured to a pyramidalbase, and the co-oper ating streams of compressedair flow in op posite directions.

The accompanying drawings which illustrate the present improvementsor'modifica tions are quite diagrammatic.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation and Fig. 2 a side elevationof the propellers and a fragmentary part of the machine.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are modified forms of propeller blades hereinafterreferred to.

Referring to Figs; 1 and 2, the propellers each consist of three blades1, 2, and 3, secured to a pyramidal base 4. The rotating propellers aremade right-hand and lefthand. Rotation of the propellers is effected byany suitable means, various ways being described in the specification ofthe prior application aforesaid.

The reference letters 1a, 2a, and 3a represent the outflowingindependent streams of compressed air. The same number of streams of airare sent out by each propeller, and each independent stream on one sidehas a companion or c'o-operating stream on the other side with which itis in working synchronism, the two currents meeting or impinging uponone another below the surface of the fuselage for the purpose of liftingor sustaining the machine by the expansive forces thus produced. Theangular path of travel of the streams is indicated by the dotted outlinein Fig. 2. It will be noted that for a part of their travel the streamsimpinge upon the sides andfixed plane or planes of the fuselage and donot impact with one another. 7

Avoidance of backward thrust on'the machine when rising or hoveringbeing desirable, this factor should be taken into consideration whendesigning the machine. For the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, it isbelieved to bedesirable that the angular displacement of the streamsandthe projecting speed of the streams should be so regulated that the Vstreams do not again meet, after leaving the 9.; produce translationalmovement of the masides of the body or fuselage, until they have arrivedat a position in the angular path of travel which is beyond the point atwhich theycan produce any subversive backward thrust on the front of themachine.

The path of the air from the attacking surface of the vane is around theinner or trailing edge thereof as indicated by the reference letter x.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4.- and 5 the back or trailing edge 10, or a localpart thereof, is set back or relieved for the purpose previouslydescribed. It willbe seen that the inner edgeis set back within the lineof the side of the pyramid. I

As shewn in Fig. 2 the propeller is turning in the direction of thearrow 20.

In experimental work a propeller velocity of 300R. P. M. has been used,at which speed each pair of streams would sweep the under surface of themachine in onefifth of a sec- 0nd, and there being three pairs ofstreams ,the surface would'be swept by one pair or another fifteen timesa second, so as to give a practically continuous action.-

The propellers are capable of movement angularly in the horizontal planeso as to chine either backwards or forwards.

What I claim is 1. Apparatus for lifting or sustaining a flying machineby the expansive force of opposing streams of compressed air produced bynon-feathering rotary propellers arranged well towards one end of thebody of the machine, the expansive forces set up by said stream actingon the underside of the body or other supporting surfaces of the machineand producing a resultant acting through the centre of gravity,comprising propellers whose vanes are symmetricallly positioned, andmeans for effecting a synchronized working of the propellers so thateach independent stream of compressed air works in synchronism with andopposes the appropriate independent stream produced by the other set ofrotary propeller blades or vanes.

2. Apparatus accordin to claim 1, having vanes the inner and trai ingedges of which are set back relatively to the base.

3. Apparatus for lifting or sustaining a flying machine b the expansiveforce of 0pposing streams o compressed air produced by non-featheringrotary propellers arranged well towards one end of the body of themachine, the expansive forces. set up by said stream acting on theunderside of the body or other supporting surfaces of the machine andproducing a resultant acting through the centre of gravity, comprisingpropellers 'whose vanes are symmetrically positioned,

means for effecting a synchronized working of the propellers so thateach independent stream of compressed air works in synchronism with andopposes the appropriate independent stream produced by the other set ofrotary propeller blades or vanes, and means for the avoidance ofsubversive back thrust when rising or hovering.

In testimony whereof, Iafiix my signature.

THOMAS AUGUSTUS DRING.

